Is workforce singular or plural?

Workforce is usually singular. It refers to a group as one unit.

What is the difference between workforce and staff?

Workforce is broader. Staff usually means the employees of one company or office.

Is workforce formal or informal?

It is fairly formal. People use it in business, government, and academic writing.

Can workforce mean all workers in a country?

Yes. It can mean the workers in a country, industry, or organization.

← Dictionary

workforce

/ˈwɜːk.fɔːs/

IELTSAcademic

noun

The workforce is all the people who work for a company, industry, or country. It can also mean the group of workers available for work.

The company plans to expand its workforce.
Women make up much of the workforce.
A skilled workforce helps businesses grow.

Adinary Nuance

Workforce is broader than staff or employees. It often refers to all workers in a company, industry, or country, not just one team. Use staff for people employed by one organization, and employees when you want to stress job status. Workforce sounds more formal and is common in business, economics, and reports.

In other languages

Vietnamese: lực lượng lao động
Spanish: fuerza laboral
Chinese: 劳动力
Japanese: 労働力
Korean: 노동력

Etymology

Workforce combines work and force. It appeared in English in the early 20th century to mean the body of workers in a place or country.

Common phrases

skilled workforcediverse workforceworkforce developmentworkforce size

Synonyms

employees staff workers

Frequently asked questions

Is workforce singular or plural?: Workforce is usually singular. It refers to a group as one unit.
What is the difference between workforce and staff?: Workforce is broader. Staff usually means the employees of one company or office.
Is workforce formal or informal?: It is fairly formal. People use it in business, government, and academic writing.
Can workforce mean all workers in a country?: Yes. It can mean the workers in a country, industry, or organization.